NameCensus.

UK surname

Parsell

An English surname derived from the Old French "parcelle" meaning a small plot of land or parcel.

In the 1881 census there were 121 people recorded with the Parsell surname, ranking it #17,671 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 112, ranked #28,844, down from #17,671 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), St Mary and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Huntingdonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Parsell is 160 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 7.4%.

1881 census count

121

Ranked #17,671

Modern count

112

2016, ranked #28,844

Peak year

1911

160 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Parsell had 121 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,671 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016, ranked #28,844.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 160 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Parsell surname distribution map

The map shows where the Parsell surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Parsell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Parsell over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 90 #18,317
1861 historical 125 #17,678
1881 historical 121 #17,671
1891 historical 103 #23,558
1901 historical 136 #19,110
1911 historical 160 #17,151
1997 modern 145 #21,571
1998 modern 152 #21,481
1999 modern 148 #22,020
2000 modern 148 #21,971
2001 modern 147 #21,756
2002 modern 149 #22,001
2003 modern 145 #22,172
2004 modern 147 #22,094
2005 modern 140 #22,774
2006 modern 135 #23,486
2007 modern 138 #23,478
2008 modern 131 #24,583
2009 modern 135 #24,594
2010 modern 129 #25,900
2011 modern 133 #25,177
2012 modern 130 #25,559
2013 modern 124 #26,842
2014 modern 124 #27,049
2015 modern 115 #28,319
2016 modern 112 #28,844

Geography

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Where Parsells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), St Mary, London parishes, Baldock, Willian, Weston, Clothall, Bygrave, Norton and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Huntingdonshire, Reading and East Hertfordshire. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 St Mary Pembrokeshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 Baldock, Willian, Weston, Clothall, Bygrave, Norton Hertfordshire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pembrokeshire 013 Pembrokeshire
2 Carmarthenshire 007 Carmarthenshire
3 Huntingdonshire 004 Huntingdonshire
4 Reading 001 Reading
5 East Hertfordshire 016 East Hertfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Parsell

These lists show first names that appear often with the Parsell surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Parsell

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Parsell, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Parsell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Parsell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Parsell is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Parsell is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Parsell falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Parsell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Parsell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Parsell

The surname Parsell is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "perse" and "hyll," meaning "green hill." It is believed to have originated in the 13th century, with early records showing various spellings such as Pershill, Pershull, and Persehyll.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "William de Pershulle." This document was a census-like survey conducted during the reign of King Edward I, suggesting that the Parsell name had already been established by that time.

The Parsell family is thought to have originated in the counties of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, where they were likely landowners or resided near a prominent green hill. In the 16th century, the name appeared in the parish records of Eversholt, Bedfordshire, with the baptism of Margarett Parsell in 1584.

A notable figure bearing the Parsell surname was John Parsell (1586-1661), a prominent English lawyer and Member of Parliament for Maldon, Essex, during the English Civil War era. He was a vocal supporter of the Parliamentarian cause and served as a judge during the trial of King Charles I.

Another historical figure was Reverend James Parsell (1634-1704), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Stanlake in Oxfordshire. He wrote several theological works, including "A Treatise on the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper" published in 1688.

In the 18th century, the name appears in various records, such as the baptism of William Parsell in 1721 in the parish of Wootton, Bedfordshire, and the marriage of John Parsell and Mary Scrivener in 1733 in the parish of Cheddington, Buckinghamshire.

The Parsell family also had connections to Scotland, with records showing a William Parsell born in Leith, Scotland, around 1780. He later immigrated to the United States and settled in Philadelphia, where he worked as a merchant.

Another notable figure was Sir John Parsell (1823-1901), a British businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the textile industry. He served as the Mayor of Bradford, Yorkshire, and was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1887 for his charitable contributions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Parsell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Parsell surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Pembrokeshire leads with 31 Parsells recorded in 1881 and an index of 82.64x.

County Total Index
Pembrokeshire 31 82.64x
Hertfordshire 21 25.81x
Lanarkshire 15 3.93x
Middlesex 13 1.10x
Glamorgan 11 5.35x
Kent 11 2.73x
Gloucestershire 6 2.59x
Ayrshire 3 3.40x
Durham 3 0.85x
Cheshire 2 0.77x
Yorkshire 2 0.17x
Herefordshire 1 2.07x
Monmouthshire 1 1.17x
Surrey 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tenby St Mary In in Pembrokeshire leads with 16 Parsells recorded in 1881 and an index of 837.70x.

Place Total Index
Tenby St Mary In 16 837.70x
Offley 11 2075.47x
Barony 9 9.32x
Hackney London 7 10.58x
Maidstone 7 58.38x
Flaxley 6 1153.85x
Old Monkland 6 39.60x
St Issells 6 759.49x
Swansea St Thomas 6 291.26x
Herbrandston 5 3571.43x
Llanwonno 5 67.75x
Hitchin 4 108.99x
Stapleford 4 5000.00x
Throston 3 447.76x
Batley 2 18.00x
Bennington 2 869.57x
Birkenhead 2 9.63x
Chatham 2 18.05x
Clerkenwell London 2 7.18x
Stevenston 2 86.96x
Amroth 1 333.33x
Ayr 1 23.98x
Greenwich 1 5.32x
Haverfordwest St Mary 1 185.19x
Hornsey 1 6.70x
Kensington London 1 1.52x
Lewisham 1 4.66x
Lyonshall 1 285.71x
Newington 1 2.29x
Pembroke St Mary 1 20.70x
Risca 1 62.11x
St Marylebone London 1 1.59x
Steynton 1 82.64x
Westminster St James 1 8.24x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Parsell surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 8
Elizabeth 6
Emily 5
Martha 5
Ann 4
Alice 3
Annie 3
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Janett 2
Margaret 2
Priscilla 2
Ada 1
Bertha 1
Catharine 1
Charlotte 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Margt.S. 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Parsell surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Thomas 6
John 5
William 5
David 3
George 3
Charles 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Richard 2
Alfred 1
Clifford 1
Cuthbert 1
Edward 1
Harry 1
Hy. 1
Isaac 1
James 1
Mary 1
Matthew 1
Phillip 1
Saml.G.J. 1

FAQ

Parsell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Parsell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 121 people were recorded with the Parsell surname. That placed it at #17,671 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Parsell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016. That gives Parsell a modern rank of #28,844.

What does the Parsell surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old French "parcelle" meaning a small plot of land or parcel.

What does the Parsell map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Parsell bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.